Febralot formalizes its support for BET CAIXA in sports betting and highlights the initiative as strategic for the sector.
The Brazilian Federation of Lottery Associations (FEBRALOT) formalized its support for the BET CAIXA project through an official letter sent to the presidents of the 26 unions it represents, as well as associates and businesspeople in the lottery sector. The document was released this Sunday (26), highlighting the platform as a fundamental initiative for the future of the sector.
BNLData, which had access to the document, spoke with union presidents, who did not question or criticize the contrary opinion of the President of the Republic, Luís Inácio Lula da Silva, expressed this Saturday (26), but all support the launch of Bet by Caixa.
The organization, which acts as the national representative for the rights and interests of companies in the lottery, distribution, and legalized gaming sector in Brazil, classified BET CAIXA as "a strategic, ethical, and essential initiative for the future of the lottery sector and for Brazil."
The launch of BET CAIXA comes after the regulation of sports betting by the National Congress and the official concession to Caixa Econômica Federal, the institution that has managed the lottery network in Brazil for over six decades. The platform integrates the more than 13 lottery units spread across the country into the digital environment of the official Union lotteries operated by the state-owned bank.
The launch of the lottery operation for fixed-odds betting and online games by Caixa Econômica Federal, through the brands BetCaixa (bettaixa.bet.br), MegaBet (megabet.bet.br) and Xbet Caixa (xbettaixa.bet.br), is scheduled for November 26th.
Ricardo Amado Costa, president of FEBRALOT, highlighted the importance of the initiative for the sector: “The operation of BET CAIXA is vital for the sustainability of lottery outlets, which generate jobs, serve communities in all municipalities, and guarantee the payment of public benefits. It is a structuring public policy that promotes inclusion and security.”
The new platform will allow bettors to participate in all 5.500 Brazilian municipalities. FEBRALOT operates through its affiliated unions or directly when there is no established union in a given region, working in the judicial and administrative spheres to defend the interests of the lottery category.
Presidents of state unions
Vicente Beneito Pons, president of the Lottery Union of Santa Catarina, highlighted the progress represented by the initiative: “BET CAIXA marks an essential step forward in modernizing the lottery system in Brazil. It brings Caixa and the lottery network into a sector that already existed, but now operates with regulation, security, and public credibility.”
Pons also mentioned the benefits for business owners in the sector: "For lottery retailers, it's an opportunity to integrate the physical with the digital, while remaining a trusted and guiding link for bettors."
The president of the Union of Lottery Companies of the State of Ceará (SINDILOCE), Custódio Albano Junior, emphasized the national character of the platform: “With BET CAIXA, the bettor has the guarantee of being on a genuinely Brazilian platform, with institutional backing, transparency and social allocation of resources.”
Albano Junior added that the initiative represents "a victory for legality and a firm step towards ensuring that betting revenue returns to society."
With the launch of BET CAIXA, Brazil joins the group of countries that maintain regulated state-run betting operations, following examples such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and France, which adopt principles of governance, accountability, and social return on the resources collected.
FEBRALOT believes that the platform contributes to strengthening the federal lottery system, increasing revenue allocated to public and social programs. BET CAIXA also establishes a regulated competitive environment, combating informal or illegal channels in the market.
Opposition to President Lula
However, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) was irritated by the announcement that Caixa Econômica Federal will launch its own online betting platform. Lula decided to summon the bank's president, Carlos Vieira, for a meeting as soon as he returns from Asia to dissuade the president from launching Caixa's Bet platform. According to Lula's allies, the creation of a betting house by a federal public bank goes against the critical discourse that the government has adopted regarding sports betting.
A potential suspension of Caixa's Bet platform could create a financial problem for the bank. In December 2024, Caixa hired Playtech – VS Technolog as an integrated provider for the development and technical support of its sports betting solution. According to sources consulted by BNLData, the penalty for breaking the contract would represent the total value of the operation for five years, which would mean several million less for the state-owned bank's coffers.
In an interview, the president of Caixa stated that Caixa's betting operation should be operational by the end of November and that the bank projects to raise up to R$ 2,5 billion next year with the operation.
Ricardo Amado Costa summarized the importance of the initiative: “We are talking about public benefit, digital inclusion, and social responsibility. BET CAIXA represents the future of the Brazilian lottery system — modern, secure, and at the service of society.”
Official letter from Febralot – Presidents of state unions, associates and fellow lottery operators
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Interview: Ricardo Amado Costa, president of FEBRALOT
BNLData spoke with the president of the Brazilian Federation of Lottery Associations – FEBRALOT, Ricardo Amado Costa, about the controversy surrounding the sale of fixed-odds betting and online games by lottery outlets, which are duly regulated by the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets of the Ministry of Finance – SPA-MF.
Sports betting has been legalized in Brazil as a fixed-odds lottery modality. Therefore, Law 13.756/18 classified bets as a lottery. How do you understand the commercialization of this new modality in the lottery network?
I have no doubt that fixed-odds betting, which, as you mentioned, is a lottery modality, must be offered by the network and be part of our portfolio, as it legitimizes the lottery outlet as an environment for selling lottery tickets and bets. Our origin is gambling, and the network depends on it to continue existing.
I would like you to explain why FEBRALOT expresses such explicit support for the BET CAIXA project of Caixa Econômica Federal?
FEBRALOT understands that the BET CAIXA project represents a step towards modernization, increased accessibility, and strengthening of the lottery network in Brazil. We know that Caixa has been managing federal lottery games for decades—which provides credibility, structure, and governance—and we see this initiative as an opportunity to generate social and economic value for the country, for lottery operators, and for responsible bettors.
Some critics argue that sports betting or "bets" pose risks of addiction or exploitation of vulnerable audiences. How do you assess these concerns, and what guarantees can the sector offer?
The concerns are legitimate—we don't dismiss them—and that's precisely why we advocate for BET CAIXA to be operationalized with responsible gaming protocols, user identification, clear limits, and coordinated action with physical and digital lottery agents. We believe that, if well implemented, this regulated platform will be safer than many unregulated channels that already operate on the fringes. The lottery network, with its physical location, local presence, and connection to Caixa Econômica Federal (the Brazilian federal savings bank), allows the mechanism to be transparent and controlled.
What will be the concrete role of physical lottery outlets in the operation of BET CAIXA?
The lottery network is a strategic asset: thousands of points of sale in municipalities of all sizes, human presence, community trust. BET CAIXA should integrate into this network—not just as a sales counter, but also providing customer guidance, registration verification, and support. In this way, digital betting complements the physical presence. This strengthens our reach, gives us a competitive edge over operators that only have a digital environment, and promotes regional inclusion.
How does FEBRALOT view the regulatory and operational challenges to making this project a success?
We see several challenges: ensuring that legislation and regulations are clear and stable; that technological systems are robust; that the lottery network is adapted—training, infrastructure, digital integration; that communication with the public reinforces security, legality, and social purpose; and that governance, compliance, and control mechanisms are fully operational. The operation is only "essential," as we have stated, if these pillars are well established.
Finally, what message would you like to leave for lottery agents, street vendors, and the general public regarding this transition period?
I would like to say that this is a moment of opportunity, of unity, of responsibility. For lottery operators and agents, it is time to prepare, to update operations, to see BET CAIXA as an extension—not a threat—and a partner. To the public, we affirm that we are working to ensure that the product is safe, transparent, and has a social purpose. And to everyone, to Brazilian society, I reiterate: we are betting on modernization, but with solid roots—the credibility of Caixa, the strength of the lottery network, the governance that the country demands.
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